What most South African football followers have dreaded for some time has come to pass as FIFA deducted three points from Bafana Bafana on Monday afternoon.
The deduction of the three points came after Bafana played midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho earlier this year even though the Mamelodi Sundowns player was suspended for that match having collected two yellow cards before that encounter.
Not only did FIFA deduct the three points, the world football controlling body made sure that Bafana lost the match 3-0 and fined the South African Football Association (SAFA) a sum of 10,000 Swiss Francs (about R217,000) for fielding an ineligible player.
Bafana now have 14 points and are second behind Benin, who also have the same number of points but are on top of the group due to a better goal difference.
Meanwhile, SAFA has 10 days in which to request a motivated decision a the forfeiture decision remains subject to a potential appeal before the FIFA’s appeal committee.
